OTTAWA — Liberal MPs are trying to put a positive spin on the SNC-Lavalin scandal that has engulfed Parliament over the past two weeks, but it appears Jody Wilson-Raybould isn’t quite ready to let things rest.

After a lengthy caucus meeting on Wednesday morning that featured the participation of Wilson-Raybould, Liberal MPs emerged to give glowing reviews of their party’s unity and said they were largely happy with what they’d heard in the room.

But just a few hours later, Wilson-Raybould surprised the House of Commons with a statement following a vote on an NDP motion. The motion, defeated by the Liberals, called for a public inquiry into the allegation Wilson-Raybould had been politically pressured while attorney general to intervene in a corruption prosecution against SNC-Lavalin. It also called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to waive solicitor-client privilege over the conversations he and his office had with Wilson-Raybould on the matter.

“I would ask that the record show that I abstain from voting on that matter,” Wilson-Raybould said after the vote was tallied, saying she felt she shouldn’t vote on a matter that involved her personally.

“I have said that I am seeking counsel on this matter of what I can and cannot say,” she went on. “I understand fully that Canadians want to know the truth and want transparency. Privilege and confidentiality are not mine to waive, and I hope that I have the opportunity to speak my truth.”

The short speech prompted standing applause from the opposition parties across the aisle — and silence from her Liberal colleagues.

Liberal MP Jody Wilson-Raybould speaks in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Feb. 20, 2019.Sean Kilpatrick/CP

Her comments add drama to the testimony she is set to give to the Commons justice committee, which has launched a study of the matter. Liberal MPs on the committee had initially rejected calls to have Wilson-Raybould testify, but relented on Tuesday and added her to the witness list. She’s expected to testify early next week, though the schedule is not finalized.

However, opposition members of the committee have expressed concern they may not get much out of Wilson-Raybould’s testimony if she is not free to speak about matters potentially covered by solicitor-client privilege. Liberal committee members defeated a motion calling on Trudeau to waive the privilege.

The Liberals also voted down a motion to have Prime Minister’s Office staff come testify, including former principal secretary Gerald Butts, who resigned on Monday.

Throughout the scandal, Wilson-Raybould’s relationship with the cabinet and Liberal caucus has been shrouded in mystery — particularly after she made a surprise appearance at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, despite having resigned as a cabinet minister last week. It led some to wonder whether she was patching up her relationship with the government following Butts’ departure.

Then on Wednesday, Trudeau told reporters he’d apologized for not coming to Wilson-Raybould’s defence sooner after anonymous Liberals disparaged her in the media and editorial cartoons depicted her getting pummelled and gagged by Trudeau.

“I want to highlight something I said at caucus this morning,” he said. “I apologized to Jody Wilson-Raybould because I wasn’t quick enough to condemn in unequivocal terms the comments and commentary and cartoons made about her last week.”

The caucus meeting ran about 45 minutes longer than usual, and Liberal MPs eventually trickled out into a gathering of cameras and reporters. Some deliberately lingered to answer shouted questions from reporters, and each insisted, in their own way, that there is no caucus split in the Liberal Party.

“Everything is fine,” said Liberal MP John McKay.

“I thought it was excellent,” said MP Andrew Leslie when asked how the meeting went.

MP Maryann Mihychuk told the media that “Jody is great” and “we’re all a team of individuals.”

MP Marc Miller said the caucus response to Wilson-Raybould was “very respectful.”

Most Liberals offered no comment, owing to the confidentiality of the caucus meeting.

Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale offered the most substantial comments, saying he was satisfied with everything he’s heard and believed there was no inappropriate pressure put on Wilson-Raybould. He even left open the idea that she could return to cabinet at some point in the future.

“Anything is possible (but) I recognize that this is a very difficult situation,” said Goodale.

Wilson-Raybould’s subsequent speech in the House of Commons suggests she will give a different side of the story when and if she is able to speak in detail. Along with the Commons justice committee study, set to begin Thursday morning, Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion is studying whether the Conflict of Interest Act was violated by the alleged pressure on Wilson-Raybould.

But it appears there will be no public inquiry on the matter after the Liberals used their majority to defeat the NDP’s motion by a margin of 160 to 134. Two Liberal MPs, Nate Erskine-Smith and Wayne Long, broke ranks with their party and voted with the Conservatives and NDP in favour of the motion.